A Warrior's Choice
by RECKLESS SOLDIER-MS
Summary: Kai Xun is a soldier of the Wei kingdom. As the chaos begins anew, he struggles with the choice of loyalty to the rising Sima Clan or his enemies whose ideals he might share. Like all men, Kai Xun will make a choice that defines him and his home.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I dont own the Dynasty Warriors series, this is a fictional story based on historical events and people

I've wanted to try making a Dynasty Warriors game for so long, since I've been following the games since Dynasty Warriors 3, played a demo and was instantly hooked, been buying the games and expansion packs ever since.

This particular story is based on the plot of the Jin Storyline from Dynasty Warriors 7. However some things will change, character fates and even the ending of the Three Kingdom's themselves. Characters will use Musuo attacks, but there will be limits to their powers. My OC is certainly not going to be all powerful

The only thing I own is my OC Kai Xun, whose armour I'm basing off of some od the edit parts in Dynasty Warriors 6: empires. Picture him as wearing a Shinobi shirt, steel gauntlets and boots and shinobi pants. His weapon is an original design that may have been used by different games and anime, I'm not sure where I got the inspiration for it from. I've also made main character models for some historical characters, such as Sun Quan's sons, the future emperor's of Wu.

Now that that is out of the way, enjoy :)

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><p><span>A Warrior's Choice<span>

Chapter 1: Chaos rises again

Long ago the land was divided when the leader of the country failed to support his people. Or perhaps it was the greed and corruption of the men at the emperor's side. I did not exist then so I cannot speak for the Han Empire. You may know the tale well, of the great mystic Zhang Jiao and his uprising against the Han Empire. His Yellow Turban Rebellion was but the beginning of a much grander tale. Even when heroes united to put an end to his rebellion chaos and corruption continued to spread throughout the land. Tyrants and warlords rose up in order to make their mark in history. Many great heroes chose leaders to follow and in the end only three great kingdoms remained. These Kingdoms were named Wu, Shu and Wei, led respectively by Sun Quan, Liu Bei and Cao Cao. The Three kingdoms clashed many times; their battles would become legendary. Heroes rose and became the stuff of legend, but in the end they fell. Either because they were overwhelmed by battle or illness. Great men and women rose but couldn't escape their fate in the end. The Romance of the Three Kingdoms still carries to this day, even without the presence of these great heroes.

My name is Kai Xun, I have been a soldier of the Wei army since the battle of Wu Zhang Plains. There I witnessed the amazing strategies of Zhuge Liang best the patience and intelligence of our supreme Commander Sima Yi. Sima Yi himself even acknowledged the brilliance of Zhuge Liang despite never meeting the man face to face. But now several years after that battle, Zhuge Liang has passed and Sima Yi has carried on his arrogant nature. It is an arrogance well deserved, because I doubt there is anyone left who can oppose Sima Yi and his family.

We enjoyed a relative time of peace. But now the seeds of Chaos and war seem to be sprouting again. I wonder, whether the final victor he who deserves it, he who will be willing to change this country or he is simply the most ruthless. The Sima family or those who fight for benevolence?

"Liu Bei is dead, why do you fight on for his vision? Liu Shan does not share that vision, why fight for a lord unworthy of your loyalty?"

He stands facing a former ally turned enemy. The enemy in front of him stood with an unwavering sense of conviction. His enemy's hands never shook as he raised his double-sided trident. But his own hands kept shaking as he gripped his spear. Even his fellow soldiers beside him were unsure of whether to fight or flee.

"Wei is continuing to grow everyday, and the Sima Family's ambition will one day eclipse that of the three founders. Jiang Wei, please come back to Wei, you'd need not perish with Shu," He said.

Jiang Wei, former Wei officer and apprentice to Zhuge Liang held out his weapon as he closed his eyes.

"This body, this soul lives for the glory of Shu, I made an oath to the prime minister. We fight for a land for the people, where the people's needs and dreams are met. WE FIGHT FOR BENEVOLENCE!" Jiang Wei yelled.

He rushed forward, cutting down two Wei soldiers. He thrust his trident at the enemy in front of him. Kai Xun tilted his head back, barely dodging Jiang Wei's thrust. Jiang Wei span his trident around before splitting Kai Xun's spear with a single slash. A cut spread across the bridge of Kai Xun's nose. Then a heavy kick grounded him to the floor, the dirt and blood staining his blue armour. He laid out across the floor, looking up at the moon shining bright above him. Jiang Wei kept moving forward, never concerned by the soldier he had left behind.

Now years after that battle I stand with other soldiers, ready to defend the kingdom of Wei. Our enemy is one who would fan the flames of war, Gongsun Yuan.

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><p>Soldiers marched across the region, charging towards one another. The soldiers in purple were rebels against the Kingdom of Wei. Battalions of Wei soldiers had been taken away from their homes to join the front line against the rebels. There was no doubt that this battle would end in a massacre for Gongsun Yuan's forces. But it was foolish to think they would go down easy. They proved their fighting spirit by at least holding their own against the larger Wei force. Supreme Commander Sima Yi hadn't been seen since the troops left camp. The soldier had no doubt that the strategist was plotting something. Purple soldiers were sent flying from the effects of an earth-shaking blow. A young man lifted his great sword over his shoulder, frowning as the soldiers continued to charge him. He sighed before swinging his sword around. The sword was twice the size of his body, but he had no problem wielding the giant weapon. His grey, knight styled blue armour fitted the giant sword. A western styled helmet obscured the top half of his face.<p>

"Oh well, at least I don't have to do a lot of running," He said.

An officer of Gongsun Yuan's forces rode atop his horse. He drew his sword as he drew closer to the shorter warrior. But the knight swung his great sword, knocking the officer off his horse with one blow. He cockily hefted the sword onto his shoulder.

"That's yet another victory for me," He cheered.

The officer turned his head as he heard the yell of another officer. He widened his eyes as an arrow flew towards him. Raising his sword, he braced himself. Much to the young man's shock, the arrow stopped inches from his eye. He lowered his sword and backed away, looking at the man who had aided him. The soldier squeezed the arrow, breaking it in half and dropping the pieces to the floor. His enemies examined him, measuring his fighting strength. They cringed at the vicious scar on the bridge of his nose. His face was clear of facial hair, but another scar decorated his right cheek. He had thick long hair like a wolf's mane. And like so many other soldiers, he stood a foot taller than the man he had saved.

His blue armour identified him as a warrior of the Wei army. He wore steel gauntlets and boots with steel plates on his waist armour. The chest plate he wore was of a simple design that allowed him some freedom of movement. It had been based partially of the ones spies wore, with the addition of a brown strap running vertically across his chest. A grey scarf was wrapped around his neck and he had tightened it to cover his mouth. As he walked forward, the rebel soldiers raised their spears. He frowned as he raised his sword, a thick bladed weapon with a unique designed hilt and a handle on the other side of the blade.

"Hey, thanks for the help," The Warrior with the giant sword said.

"Its an honour Xiahou Ba," The soldier calmly bowed his head before rushing towards the soldiers.

The Gongsun Yuan officer widened his eyes as the Wei soldier sprinted towards him and his troops. Spearmen thrust their blades towards the soldier, who easily slipped through the gaps in their formations. He slashed one rebel across the side and hacked another down with one fluid swing of his sword. Tilting his head, he dodged a spear thrust even greater than he had on the Wuzhang Plains. His free right hand moved with incredible accuracy, grabbing the point of a spear and stopping it inches from his neck. He knocked the soldier back and slashed him down the middle. Then he bashed two more spears aside and cut down their wielders.

"Who the hell are you?" The Officer asked.

The Wei soldier looked at the rebel officer as they prepared to face off. A well-structured circle of troops had formed around them. It was if the whole fighting had stopped to watch their dual. Soldiers were even putting down their weapons and getting out moneybags, placing bets on the two officers. The Gongsun Yuan Officer drew a Dao Sword, pointing it at the Wei soldier.

"Let me at least know your name before I send you to hell," The Rebel officer said.

"Kai Xun," The Wei Soldier stated as he gripped the second handle on his sword.

Gasps and chuckles escaped the crowd of soldiers as Kai Xun drew a second sword from his blade. Kai Xun then stabbed the second sword into the ground, gripping his first sword with both hands. The rebel officer clicked his fingers. A moment passed before one of the rebels passed him another sword. The Wei soldiers jeered and taunted the man for his lack of respect. It was a gesture Kai Xun returned.

"Allow me to introduce myself, I am…"

"Your name matters little to me, tell it to those you meet on the way to hell, and tell them Kai Xun sent you!" The Wei soldier growled.

Xiahou Ba was the first of many to cheer for his comrade. The Wei soldier's cheering was the gong that signalled the duals start. Kai Xun rushed forward, slamming his sword against the rebel officer's twin blades. He swung his head back as the rebel thrust his swords forward. The officer's swords missed Kai Xun by inches. Both warriors altered positions, preparing to strike one another again. But unexpectedly, Kai Xun shifted around the rebel as he thrust his swords forward again. As the rebel lunged, Kai Xun moved around him, keeping his right leg in the way of the rebel's feet. Soldiers from both sides laughed as the officer stumbled forward, slamming into the ground.

"Ha, looks like he's in the dirt where he belongs," One soldier said.

"It looks good on him," Another agreed.

The rebel officer yelled as he span around. Kai Xun raised his sword, blocking six successive strikes from the officer's spinning attack. The officer swung his swords around, clashing them with Kai Xun's blade. Both men moved in perfect synch, slamming their swords together. Kai Xun dodged and blocked two strikes, following up with a horizontal slash. The rebel officer crossed his swords together, catching Kai Xun's sword. He then slammed his foot into Kai Xun's chest, knocking him back. The officer grinned as Kai Xun got off the floor, looking at the sword caught in between his enemy's blades.

"Idiot, you think there's such thing as a fair fight? There's no such thing as a hero in this era, all of them died after the Wu Zhang Plains battle. In this era, it is the strong and ruthless that survive!" The officer broke off into a laugh as he threw Kai Xun's sword into the crowd of rebels.

Caught in the awe of the moment, the Wei soldiers didn't notice the elite group gathering behind them. The leader of this group rode a white horse and wore blue and black minister robes. He looked at the Wei soldier in the middle of the duel with great interest. While his opponent didn't notice it, Sima Shi saw Kai Xun gripping the sword he had stabbed into the ground earlier. Sima Yi's eldest son smirked as the rebel officer raised his swords, ready to strike Kai Xun down. Suddenly, Kai Xun fiercely stabbed his second sword into his opponent's chest. The rebel officer dropped his cocky façade as he spat blood from his mouth. Kai Xun slid his sword out of the man's torso and watched as the body hit the floor.

As soon as the rebel officer's life faded, the fierce fighting continued. Kai Xun led his fellow soldiers forward, cutting their way through the army of rebels. Xiahou Ba stayed close beside Kai Xun, cutting down anyone who approached the man that saved him. Sima Shi rode atop his horse, stabbing his rapier into the heads and necks of enemy soldiers. Kai Xun cut a rebel down and raised his eyebrows as the soldiers began running away. The rebels fled up the hill they had earlier charged down, archers shot anyone still lingering.

"We've got them on the run," Xiahou Ba said.

"Do not stop until we have eliminated the rebel forces," Sima Shi said.

He swung his sword forward, signalling the men to charge. Kai Xun ran with the men, with Xiahou Ba falling behind them. The Wei forces pursued Gongsun Yuan's troops, completely dominating the small force. Gongsun Yuan himself was overwhelmed by the sheer ferocity and speed of the Wei forces. But his men still held the line for as long as they could. Sima Shi stabbed a soldier in the neck with his rapier, then cut another infantrymen down. Wei spearmen rushed into a line of rebels, impaling them with a wall of iron spikes. Xiahou Ba slammed his sword into the ground, creating a shockwave that threw several rebels back. Kai Xun deflected a rebel's spear, and then kicked the man in the chest. He ducked to avoid another spear. Quickly grabbing the handle of the weapon, Kai Xun cut the spearman across the chest. Then, taking his spear he hurled the weapon into an enemy officer.

Sima Shi jumped off his horse and casually slashed a rebel officer across the chest. He gripped the handle of his sword, lowering it to the ground. Electricity sparked around the weapon before a series of spikes burst out of the ground, impaling a line of enemy troops. Wiping the blood off his blade, Shi smirked as Wei troops attacked the rebels from behind. Kai Xun widened his eyes in shock as Sima Yi's younger son Sima Zhao led several squads.

'I see, they climbed up the cliff beside Xiangping castle, taking the enemy by surprise. But obviously Lord Yuan would have placed troops to guard that entry point. The intelligence and strength of the Sima Family is frightening,' Kai Xun thought.

Sima Zhao lazily slashed a rebel officer down the middle. He rested his sword on his shoulder, watching as his troops mopped up the remaining rebels.

"All right, time to get this over with," Zhao yawned.

Sima Shi raised his hand, signalling his soldiers to stop. He jumped onto his horse and began riding towards the castle. Kai Xun looked to Xiahou Ba, nodding his head as they ran forward. When they reached the fortress, they found Sima Yi and his troops cutting through the rebel forces. The rebels were backed into a corner and no longer held the will to fight. Kai Xun and Xiahou Ba lowered their swords as they saw several troops falling to their knees. An officer of the rebel army, Wang Jian sheathed his sword as he bowed.

"We surrender, please forgive our foolishness," The officer said.

"There are five options in war: fight, defend, flee, surrender or die," Sima Yi said as he walked towards Wang Jian.

He lowered his black-feathered war fan, a look of anger crossing his face. Sima Yi suddenly threw his hands forward. The soldier's gasped as Wang Jian rose from the floor. He struggled helplessly, as if he had been trapped. Kai Xun narrowed his eyes at Sima Yi's fingertips. Wires of some kind had extended from his sleeves, wrapping around the helpless Wang Jian.

"You have proven yourself inept at the first two, and now you have the temerity to surrender!" Sima Yi coldly stated. "Death is all you deserve!"

Cuts suddenly spread across Wang Jian's body as the wires slid back into Sima Yi's sleeves. The general's blood sprayed across the floor and the rebel soldiers looked on in fear. Sima Shi thrust his sword forward, ordering the Wei soldiers to finish the rebels. Gongsun Yuan's other officer, Liu Fu stood up, rallying his troops for a final stand. Kai Xun readied his sword as he moved with the Wei soldiers. Spears pierced through armour and swords clanged together as the Wei troops began overwhelming the rebels. Sima Yi swung his war fan, throwing several rebels back. He casually sidestepped the swipe of Liu Fan's sword. The strategist then released a great wind from his fan, throwing Liu Fan against the wall.

"Pathetic," Sima Yi whispered.

He turned his back to Liu Fan, focusing his attention on other soldiers. Kai Xun slashed a rebel across the face and then stabbed another in the gut. He looked towards Sima Yi, who cut the throat of a rebel with his own sword. Kai Xun widened his eyes as he saw Liu Fan charging towards Sima Yi's back. Without a second's hesitation, Kai Xun ran past Sima Yi and slashed the officer across the chest. Sima Yi watched as Liu Fan fell to the floor, his blood staining the blade of Wei soldier. The Wei strategist rubbed his chin, intrigued by the soldier's appearance.

"We have taken the Eastern Inner castle, Gongsun Yuan's forces are all that remain," Sima Shi said.

The gates of the east castle opened and several arrows flew into the Wei forces. Sima Shi deflected two arrows and stepped behind a lamp for cover. Several of Gongsun Yuan's troops fired crossbows from the inner castle gate. Wei soldiers underneath the bridge to the inner castle gathered, aiming their bows upwards. They released the arrows, sending them flying into the first line of crossbow men. Kai Xun and the others then swiftly ran down the bridge. Xiahou Ba jumped and slammed his sword into two soldiers. He threw his head back as major tried to hit him with a spear. Ba quickly grabbed the handle of man's spear, hitting him across the head with the shaft.

"Just cause I'm wearing heavy armour doesn't mean I'm slow," Ba said.

"Yes, I suppose your height is good for something," Kai Xun smirked as he blocked and countered a rebel's sword.

A vein on Xiahou Ba's forehead throbbed at Kai Xun's joke. Gongsun Yuan and his officer Zhang Chang moved to counterattack against the Wei forces. They led their defence captains into a deadlock with the imperial troops. Sima Shi stabbed a rebel in the neck and casually kicked another soldier to the ground. Zhang Chang brandished his scimitar, swinging it towards Sima Zhao. The youngest child of the Sima Clan blocked the officer's strike, lazily swinging his own sword downwards. But Zhang Chang quickly blocked the man's sword and swung his blade again. Zhao ducked beneath the blade and delivered a swift uppercut to Zhang Chang's chin.

Sima Zhao chuckled in celebration as he shook his hand. He yelped as he blocked two rebel's sword. Pushing the two men back, Sima Zhao sighed as he braced himself for their next attacks. Kai Xun kneed a soldier in the chest, and then stabbed his sword through the man's back. Swinging around, Kai Xun slashed two more rebel's throats. He then turned to check the condition of his commanders. Sima Yi was throwing aside any rebel soldier in his way. His eldest son Shi was easily over powering the enemy troops. Sima Zhao however was facing two rebels at the same time. He remained unaware of Zhang Chang. The officer shook his head as he regained consciousness.

'Coward,' Kai Xun thought as the man moved to attack Sima Zhao.

Kai Xun tried to move forward, only for three rebels to get in his way. He kicked one in the head, and punched another across the face. Pulling his arm back, Kai Xun threw his short sword as hard as he could. Sima Zhao cut his two opponents down and widened his eyes as he saw a sword spinning towards him. The sword flew past his shoulder. Sima Zhao turned around and cringed as he saw the sword placed between Zhang Cheng's eyes. Kai Xun slammed his head against his opponent's, knocking him unconscious. Feeling a presence behind him, Kai Xun turned and raised his hands as a sword was swung at him. He blocked the sword with the steel armour on his gauntlets. Gritting his teeth together, Kai Xun widened his eyes as he identified his opponent. Gongsun Yuan grinded his sword against Kai Xun's gauntlets, pushing him back.

"I am the King of Yan, if Wei will not give me that which I deserve then I will take it for myself," Gongsun Yuan said.

"You murdered a Wu messenger thinking you'd be rewarded for it, history could have known you as the man who bought two kingdoms together, but instead it'll remember you as a greedy bastard who ruined any chance of peace we could have with Wu!" Kai Xun growled.

He shoved Gongsun Yuan back, sending him stumbling towards Sima Yi. Sima Yi frowned as he swung his fan around. The wind he created threw Gongsun Yuan away from the troops, sending him crashing unceremoniously into the ground. His sword and helmet clattered across the ground, the latter item shattering from Sima Yi's ruthless attack. Gongsun Yuan crawled across the floor, shifting to his knees as Sima Yi stood over him.

"Pl-please, have mercy!" Gongsun Yuan begged as he bowed his head. "I surrender!"

Sima Yi looked down at the Gongsun Yuan. His face was calm, but that gradually faded as he broke the rebel lord down.

"The fact that you instigated a revolt is not such a great crime," He said.

He looked down at the wounded lord with a glare.

"Your greatest crime was having the temerity to think you had the talent to do so. You who are unaware of your own mediocrity!" Sima Yi squeezed his hand into a fist, shaking with fury as he looked at the imbecile.

Two of Sima Yi's personal soldiers walked up behind Gongsun Yuan. They grabbed his arms, pulling him out of his bowing position. A look of pure fear crossed Gongsun Yuan's face as Sima Yi's expression of fury turned back to a calm mask.

"Die," He said, a smirk spreading across his face.

"CURSE YOU!" Gongsun Yuan yelled as the soldiers dragged him away.

Kai Xun looked at Gongsun Yuan in pity as he was dragged away. Sima Yi walked towards where the "king of Yan's" sword lay. He picked the weapon up as Sima Shi and Zhao walked to his side. Kai Xun watched as the three Sima's spoke. Sima Shi pointed in his direction and Sima Yi nodded his head.

"You, the one with the scarf, come here," Shi ordered.

Kai Xun lowered his scarf away from his mouth as he walked towards the three lords. He pressed his right fist into his left hand as he bowed to his superior's. Sima Yi looked the young man over. Again a look of intrigue replaced his calm expression.

"What is your name soldier?" He asked.

"Kai Xun my lord," Kai Xun said.

"And your rank?"

"Scout captain my lord!"

"Shi told me of your accomplishment today, you saved the life of a member of the Xiahou family, defeated three enemy officers and saved my life as well," Sima Yi explained.

"Um father he also saved my life too," Sima Zhao said.

"Irrelevant," Sima Yi huffed.

Sima Zhao dropped his head, a sweat drop running down the back of it. Kai Xun widened his eyes slightly as Sima Yi seemingly offered him Gongsun Yuan's sword.

"This was but a simple battle, even without my strategies the men were inspired by your actions. Gongsun Yuan's rebellion began because he was unhappy with the rewards he was given; he foolishly sought out a title beyond his capabilities. Tell me Kai Xun, what reward do you think you deserve?" Sima Yi asked.

"I am but a soldier, I will take the reward all common soldiers receive," Kai Xun said.

Sima Yi smirked at how quickly Kai Xun had answered the question. He lowered the sword, throwing it to the ground.

"Brave, loyal and aware of your capabilities…you are dismissed Kai Xun!"

The soldier nodded his head, turning away from the Sima family and returning to his fellow troops. When he reached the group, several of the older officers patted his back or ruffled his hair. Xiahou Ba walked through the crowd, smiling as he held Kai Xun's swords.

"Thanks for helping me out today, I promise I'll do what I can to repay the debt someday," Xiahou Ba said.

The young man removed his helmet, revealing a youthful face and a head of blonde hair. Kai Xun took the swords from Ba and linked the blades back together. He slid the sword into the sheath on his back and smiled at the officer.

"A drink will do," He said.

Xiahou Ba and the other soldiers applauded Kai Xun's suggestion. Sima Zhao smiled as he followed the soldiers, his older brother silently drifting behind. Sima Yi stayed where he was, his memory drifting back to Gongsun Yuan.

"What a miserable world this is, where we are forced to watch while idiots erupt in hysterics," Sima Yi sighed.

He raised his hand, looking at his palm as he mused.

"Meanwhile, my own talents are destined to be wasted. Furthermore…some men refuse to even acknowledge their own potential!"

The Wei strategist silently walked out of the castle, leaving behind the bodies of the imbeciles he despised.

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><p>The cunning of Sima Yi, as well as the sheer might of the imperial army managed to eliminate Gongsun Yuan. Not knowing the limits of his strength, he had turned his back on Wei and declared himself the King of Yan. That day, many of the Wei Soldiers including myself saw the anger that Sima Yi bottled inside him. A part of him must have compared Gongsun Yuan to Zhuge Liang. The sleeping dragon of Shu was Sima Yi's enemy, yet a part of him must have seen the man as his only equal. That officer I defeated in a dual was right. The world had changed after the battle of Wu Zhang Plains. The fading of Zhuge Liang's star was like a trigger that led to a great change across the land. It was as if Zhuge Liang himself became the sky and bought on the change.<p>

Within Wei, Cao Rui succeeded Cao Pi as emperor and began a rule of greed and opulence. Meanwhile in Wu, Sun Quan stabilised his country and strengthened its defences. He took advantage of the struggle between Wei and Shu to ensure that his own kingdom's structure remained stable. Sun Quan continues to rule a peaceful kingdom, but he is merely readying his own troops.

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><p>The son of the tiger of Jiang Dong had inherited the will of many generations of the Sun family. Dressed in his Imperial gown, the Emperor of Wu sat at his throne. Beside him was his loyal wife and true love Lian Shi. She was dressed in a red and black dress that exposed her neck and midriff. Gold lacing covered some areas of the dress, which was open to expose Lian's black stockings. She stood by Quan's throne, looking to him with concern in her eyes. He sat with his head in his hand, continually rubbing the bridge of his nose. A recent problem within the Wu Imperial court was Sun Quan's desire to declare Lian Shi empress.<p>

Though out of all Sun Quan's consorts, Lian Shi was the only one he truly loved, she was still not the one to provide Sun Quan with an heir. Many in the imperial court, including Quan's own sons felt that Lian was unworthy of such a title, despite her long service to her husband. Sun Quan lamented on his sons, Sun Xiu, Sun Liang and Sun He, they all had the potential to be as great as their grandfather. But Sun Quan doubted their ability to lead. That was why he insisted on strengthening the bonds of his family. Liu Bei and Cao Cao had both been claimed by illness, a fate Quan hoped to avoid.

Sun Liang huffed as he looked towards his father. He and his brothers stood in a room beside Sun Quan's throne. The three young men had adopted the red garbs of the Wu kingdom. Young Sun He wore a red shirt with beast armour at his waist. His brown hair slightly covered his eyes and his red armbands had tiger claw marks on them. Beside him stood the youngest Sun Xiu. He wore red Imperial robes with a Han crown on top of his short brown hair. Tiger fur was wrapped around his boots and shoulders. Sun Liang was the tallest and perhaps strongest of the three brothers. Though Quan had other children, these were the three that distinguished themselves. Liang was dressed in orange and red armour, a gold tiger face as his waist armour's buckle. Brown hair decorated his chin while a red cloak hung off his shoulders.

"How long must he groan over unworthy children and meaningless love affairs?" Sun Liang spoke his thoughts.

"We should be patient, father has been under a lot of pressure," Sun Xiu said.

"He's not going to declare a successor anytime soon, I say we just kick back and enjoy the peace," Sun He said.

"Idiots," Sun Liang muttered as he walked away from his brothers.

Indeed the bonds between the Sun family were no longer as strong as they used to be. Sun Quan thought and thought of a way to unite his family. He wanted to publicly declare his love for Lian Shi by making her his empress. But doing so would lead to further resentment within the court. He looked to Lian Shi, whom gave him a comforting smile. The Wu emperor gripped his wife's hand and placed a gentle kiss on it. He knew that from then on the bond of the Sun family wouldn't be as strong as it once was. But a part of him was at least happy that he could still enjoy the company of his wife.

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><p>In a similar state, Shu began recovering from its repeated invasion attempts. Zhuge Liang had passed and his role as Grand Commander of the Shu forces fell on Jiang Wei's shoulders. The former Wei officer was already making preparations to launch an invasion of Wei. It was an issue within the Shu court that didn't bother Liu Shan, the young emperor remained calm as if nothing would before him. While Jiang Wei began preparations for further attacks against the North, Liu Shan hosted a series of banquets in order to show his people that nothing was wrong. As always his loyal protector, the famed general Zhao Yun, joined him.<p>

"These meat buns are really good, Zhao Yun, you should try some," Liu Shan said as he took a meat bun off his plate.

Numerous officers and ministers of the Shu kingdom sat at a table, with their emperor at the head. It had been the third day of Liu Shan's celebrations. Zhao Yun stood by the side of his lord, thankfully accepting the food he was given. A part of the general wanted to speak up, to remind his lord what his father Liu Bei before him would have done. But very few saw the qualities that Liu Shan possessed. His love of virtue was not as clear as his father's was. Instead he focused on protecting the people, as opposed to attempting to reform the Han. He remained happy with the land he was given, and merely allowed Jiang Wei to carry on with his own ambitions.

"A toast to the Sixth month of a long awaited peace, may it go on for days to come," Cheers accompanied Liu Shan's toast.

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><p>On a day that should have bought joy to the people of Wei, Cao Rui passed from illness. However he was replaced with the young Cao Fang, a boy as inexperienced as Emperor Xian had been before him. Two of Cao Fang's most trusted advisors were to be Wei general Cao Shuang and none other than Sima Yi. But surprisingly, Sima Yi gave up his authority and decided to retire. According to the guards within the imperial court, Sima Yi's reason had been that devising power between two people would only lead to greater chaos. The imperial court and the ministers were the ones that held power, not the emperor's.<p>

As the lone authority of Wei, Cao Shuang had his forces prepare for a campaign against Shu. Our kingdom's lone time rival had also enjoyed a brief peace. But once again the ambitions of men threaten to drive the land into chaos. I couldn't help but wonder what would have happened if Cao Cao or Liu Bei had actually achieved their ambitions? Alls I know is that there are no more heroes left in the land. I am but a common soldier, thus I do not enjoy the pleasures that lords do. My home is a small hut outside of Xu Chang. The only comfort I have is a small lake by the house. Whenever I am not at war I can occasionally enjoy fishing.

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><p>On one such day, when Kai Xun enjoyed what little time he had left away from the army, he decided to go to the lake. Carrying a wooden fishing rod on his shoulder, Kai Xun dragged a small bucket with bait in it. When he reached the lake, the young man sat and dipped the line into the water. His steel gauntlets and boots were gone, replaced with a pair of straw sandals. He waited patiently for a catch, enjoying the sun shining on his face. Digging the handle of the rod into the ground, Kai Xun leaned back and rested his head against the dirt.<p>

'What must be done in order for everyone to enjoy a peace like this?' Kai Xun wondered.

He sighed as he closed his eyes. The sound of hooves against the ground suddenly caught his attention. Kai Xun opened his eyes, sitting up as a lone rider approached him.

"Are you Kai Xun?" The rider asked.

"Yes, I am he," Kai Xun said as he got up off the floor.

"My lord Sima Shi wishes to speak with you," The Rider said.

Kai Xun bowed his head, accepting the invitation. As the rider trotted away, Kai Xun couldn't help but think of the Sima clan's rise to power. Could a conflict within Wei itself begin? Was Gongsun Yuan's rebellion simply the first step to the breakdown of Wei? His thoughts were interrupted as his fishing rod was pulled into the river. Kai Xun looked at the spot for several seconds, a sweat drop running down the back of his head. He shook his head and laughed.

"Perhaps one day the people can enjoy a peace like this," Kai Xun smiled.

He threw the bait bucket into the lake and walked back to his house. Tomorrow he would speak with Sima Shi and the day after he would return to the battlefield.

Next Chapter 2: Logic against ideals

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><p>Hope everyone enjoyed the first chapter, I based a lot of the dialogue and description off of the in game cutscenes, but I wont be adapting the Jin Storyline word for word. I'll probably upgrade a few more generic officers to main character status. My plans include Guan Xing and Zhang Bao, the sons of Guan Yu and Zhang Fei respectively, I based Sun Liang's look off of Sun Ce's look in Dynasty Tactics.<p>

Next time will be a duel scene between Sima Shi and Kai Xun as Sima Yi tests Kai Xun's capabilities. Leave me a review and tell me what you thought of the first chapter please.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I dont own Dynasty Warriors

Sorry for the long wait people, I'm trying to get some of my comic fics out of the way before I really focus on this one. This chapter was a little tricky for me, cause I couldnt think of a way for Sima Shi and Kai Xun to debate without forming an antagonistic relationship. Plus I was researching people I could turn into main characters as well as thinking of potential comedy scenes. Characters may seem a little OOC at one point, but I did that to sort of include anime style humour, as well as the sort of classic stereotype of the older/younger brother relationship

Anyway here I am with the next update, enjoy

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><p><span>A Warrior's Choice<span>

Chapter 2: Logic against ideals

Kai Xun had nothing he could consider fancy or proper. The most expensive item in his possession was his sword, which he wouldn't take to into a Lord's home. He trotted towards the Sima estate on his grey haired horse Shadow. The steed seemed to be an opposite of his master; he was an occasionally aggressive and even disobedient horse but a fast runner. Shadow had an unkempt grey mane that was darker than the hair across its body. Kai Xun opted to wear his armour for his meeting with Sima Shi. As he rode towards the Sima estate, Kai Xun began to cycle through the nmumerous lessons of etiquette that his father had taught him. Then again that was very little, the standard bow, speak when spoken to, speak when asked to and try not to offend them. Kai Xun sighed as he rubbed his head, his father in actuality hadn't taught him anything about talking to nobles.

"Lord Sima Shi summoned me, he wishes to speak with me," Kai Xun said as he approached the gate guard.

The guard nodded his head as he approached Kai Xun. As soon as the guard tried to grab Shadow's reigns, the horse drifted to its aggressive personality. He pulled his head back, grunting at the guard. Again Kai Xun sighed while the other guards sweat dropped.

"You've got a disobedient beast here, you should tame it before I put it down," The Guard said.

Shadow narrowed his eyes at the plumb guard before neighing, blowing a blob of spit onto the guard's face. Kai Xun clutched his mouth, trying to avoid sharing the other guard's humour as they laughed. The head guard turned his wet face to the younger men, growling to silence them. Kai Xun climbed off Shadow, rubbing the horses back before giving the reins to the guard. He opened his arms, showing the other guards that he had come to his lord's house without weapons.

"Speak to our lord with the respect he is due soldier," One of the guards said as he opened the gate. "His lordships brother and wife are also here, show them respect as well!"

Kai Xun bowed his head before walking forward. Suddenly, the window of Sima Shi's house was flung open. Sima Zhao jumped out of the house, his feet resting on the back of an unconscious guard. The guard slid across the floor towards the gate, with Sima Zhao adjusting his balance, as if he was riding a board.

"ZHAO!" A yell shook the whole house, causing the guards to hide in terror.

"Hey soldier guy, see you later," Sima Zhao said as he jumped off the guard and onto his horse.

A sweat drop ran down the back of Kai Xun's head as he watched the younger Sima brother ride away. Inside the house, Sima Shi squashed a scroll in his hand. A murderous glint appeared in his eyes as the servants cowered.

"Betrayed by my own blood, damn you Zhao, hours of effort wasted," He growled.

A blonde haired woman stood in the corner of the room, sighing as Sima Shi slammed his hands into the table.

"He stole my meat bun," Shi whispered, dropping his head in shame.

Numerous servants and guards bowed their heads as Kai Xun entered. A short brown haired man stood in the centre of the servants. He wore a blue robe with black gloves and a lighter blue belt across his waist. The man put his hands together, bowing his head slightly. Kai Xun bowed lower as he returned the gesture.

"Sima Fu, it is an honour to meet you," Kai Xun said.

"It would be an honour to meet my brother, I am but a poet," Sima Fu shrugged.

"It is because you are a poet that it is such an honour to meet you, I have read your work!"

Sima Fu smiled, a smirk that was much less deviant than his older brother Sima Yi. He walked forward, gesturing for Kai Xun to rise from his knee.

"My nephew wishes to speak with you, you didn't hear this from me but my brother has taken interest in you as well," Sima Fu explained as they walked through the corridors of the house.

"Should I be concerned my lord?" Kai Xun asked.

Sima Fu laughed, and that was where Xun saw the resemblance between the two brothers. Fu's laugh was just like Sima Yi's and the soldier wondered whether it was a common trait within the family. He widened his eyes slightly as Fu slapped him on the back.

"He only shows interest in others when they are a threat or a great asset to Wei. My brother will do what is best for Wei, as will I, for we are both servants of Wei," Sima Fu walked ahead of Kai Xun, opening the doors to reveal a site that astonished the young man.

The meeting hall looked more like a training dojo than a conference room. It was devoid of tables. On one side of the wall was a great map of China, showing the three sides that separated the country. The other side had numerous weapons attached to the wall, spears, swords, gloves, staffs and a great deal of other weapons. Sima Shi stood at the centre of the room, holding a gold rapier. He held the sword in a reverse style grip, the blade of the weapon pointing at the ground between Shi's feet. Throwing the sword up, Sima Shi caught it and held it in a simple fencing stance. He had the blade pointed at Shu, a kingdom that was practically the rival of Wei.

"Presenting Kai Xun of the military my lord," Sima Fu mockingly waved his arm as he walked around Shi.

Sima Shi huffed as he tossed the rapier to one of his servants. Kai Xun quickly changed this assumption when he saw that the young woman stood prouder than the other concubines. She wore a blue robe with flowers on it. Her elegant face was framed by her brown hair and bangs.

"My wife, Yang Huiyu and my Uncle are too modest to admit that they are deserving of their positions within the Sima Clan and the Wei kingdom," Sima Shi said as he stepped towards Kai Xun.

Kai Xun bought his hands together and bowed his head. Sima Shi turned his back and motioned for Xun to follow. They walked to the centre of the hall and stopped as Shi turned to the map.

"Shu-Han, Wu and Wei, three Kingdoms that already have new heroes rising in the place of old ones. Yet my father insists that none of them compare to the heroes of old, it is that underestimation that can lead to defeat in battle and yet…my father still retains a record of victory. We nearly lost the battle of the Wu Zhang Plains, my brother and I had to fight Jiang Wei in order to cover our father's regroup. Shu only lost because of a loss of morale due to Zhuge Liang's passing," Sima Shi explained.

"I was there my lord, at the battle, though I was not there to enjoy the victory," Kai Xun lowered his head slightly as Sima Shi faced him.

"Yes, I am aware of the injuries you sustained when you spoke with Jiang Wei, whatever where you thinking?"

"Jiang Wei was an officer of Wei, a talented soldier that would have been a great asset to Wei. I felt that he was serving a lord that didn't deserve his great loyalty and strength, and he let me live, that showed that he was an honourable man, a man deserving of a position in the Wei army," Kai Xun explained.

Sima Shi turned away from Kai Xun and focused his attention on the map. He pointed to Wei and then ran his finger across the map to Shu.

"If he wont serve Wei then he will die, he let you live? I wonder whether you will show him the same courtesy?" Sima Shi asked.

"One doesn't know how they'll react on the battlefield," Kai Xun said.

"At least your honest enough to admit that you don't know what you want," Sima Shi said.

He clicked his fingers and Yang Huiyu threw him the gold rapier. Kai Xun raised his head, gulping as Shi pointed the blade towards him.

"What has separated Wei from Shu is its logic, while the fools of Shu rely on ideals, I wonder would you be more suited to serving our enemy? Your brave, strong and honest, I wonder whether you are honest and brave enough to come out with a reaction your lord would rather not hear," Shi narrowed his eyes at the soldier.

Kai Xun turned his head as Sima Fu whistled to him. The older man grabbed a rapier off the wall and threw it into Kai Xun's hand.

"Defend yourself, that is an order!" Shi growled as he lunged forward.

Sima Shi thrust his blade towards Kai Xun, who quickly pulled his head back. He narrowly dodged the gold blade. Quickly shuffling his feet into a fencing stance, Kai Xun parried Shi's next swipe and stepped backwards, keeping his distance from the attacker.

"A wise king never seeks war, but must always be ready for it, what if that king's birthright is the land his enemy holds?" Sima Shi asked as he ran forward.

Kai Xun raised his sword, blocking Sima Shi's horizontal slash. The lord stepped in close, grabbing Kai Xun's scarf and throwing him over his shoulder. He rolled across the floor, quickly jumping to his feet as Shi rushed towards him. They clashed their swords together, once, then twice and a third time that locked the blades. Shi slid his sword past Kai Xun's, narrowly missing the soldier's ear. Kai Xun quickly batted the blade aside and jumped backwards. Sweat ran down his face as he watched Sima Shi pace around the room. The man lowered his sword, putting a hand on his hip as he looked at Xun.

"Tell me Kai Xun, would you say something to a lord that he does not wish to hear?" Shi asked.

The young man dropped his sword and bowed his head.

"If it was whether or not the sword you carry matches you armour, then I would of course agree with you," Xun said.

Sima Fu coughed as he tried not to chuckle.

"But if it was something concerning a strategy, a strategy that a lord thinks of as full proof, if I am in the position then I will point out the exact number of flaws I can find in that strategy. It may not be what my lord wants to hear, but it must be said for the sake of victory," Kai Xun explained.

Sima Shi tilted his head as a smirk cross his face. Much to Kai Xun's shock, the man started laughing. He laughed as the son of Sima Yi would.

"You certainly know your place, both when it comes to sparring with a lord and complimenting one, and you know what needs to be said on the battlefield," Sima Shi said as he threw the rapier to his wife.

Yang Huiyu put the rapier on its holder on the wall and pulled off one of the spears. It was a white spear with numerous ornaments hanging off the blade. She threw the angel spear to her husband, whom bent his knees as he pointed it towards Kai Xun. Sima Fu grabbed a trident off the wall and threw it to Kai Xun. He took on a defensive stance and waited for Sima Shi's attack.

"One thing that confuses me," Sima Shi stated as he swung the spear at Kai Xun. "Why not attack Jiang Wei when you have the chance," Kai Xun blocked the strike and batted the blade aside.

Again Sima Shi lunged at Kai Xun, and again the young warrior blocked the continuous strikes. He stepped backwards, hitting a wooden pillar. Sima Shi thrust his spear forward, striking the wooden pillar inches from Kai Xun's head. He then pulled the shaft back and let go, catapulting the handle into the side of Kai Xun's face. Kai Xun fell to the floor, clutching his bruised face. He gasped as Sima Shi thrust a dagger towards his eye. The blade stopped inches from the organ, but Kai Xun's eyes remained fixed on Shi's.

"Answer the question truthfully if you are brave and foolish enough," Sima Shi said.

"I wanted Jiang Wei to come back, I didn't want to fight him, it wasn't fear but respect," Kai Xun said.

"And has your opinion changed at all?" Sima Shi asked.

"I still respect Jiang Wei for his faith and loyalty to Shu, despite the proven incompetence of its lord. The reason he fights is an ideal that many follow because it is so appealing. A land of benevolence, where the people's needs are met and they enjoy a peace without suffering from the greed of nobles and officials!" Kai Xun explained.

"That is the reason Liu Bei fought, but in the end he didn't live long enough to see that dream come true. Dreams are simply that, things cannot be achieved because they are too grand. Then those dreams are forced on the next generation and in turn it leads to conflict, one might even go so far as to saying that dreams are the very reason war starts!" Shi's voice was calm as he kept the dagger inches from Kai Xun's eye.

"The next generation follows the example that the last one set, and one that doesn't truly know what causes war, in the end history decides the cause as it decides who is righteous!"

"True the next generation sometimes follows an example, but the example is either foolish without logic or the fools misunderstand the example like historians interpret the records they are given," Sima Shi said.

"But if the example is strong enough, sometimes the next generation will succeed where the last failed!"

"Even if the dream is foolish?" Shi asked.

"I'm not saying Jiang Wei will success, just that his devotion makes him an enemy worthy of respect…and caution," Kai Xun said.

Sima Shi remained silent for a moment. He then pulled the dagger away from Kai Xun's face and smirked.

"That is a good response, we can add intelligence to your many qualities, brave, honest, smart and **Naïve!"** Shi said as he pulled the angel spear out of the pillar.

Kai Xun stood up, catching the spear as Shi threw it to him. Sima Shi put the dagger back into the sheath inside his pocket and walked to his uncle and wife.

"Consider that spear your reward for your actions against Gongsun Yuan, Cao Shuang is preparing an invasion force against Shu, a force you will be a part of. Good luck on the battlefield, it would be foolish to waste your talent by dying early," Sima Shi explained.

"Yes my lord, thank you," Kai Xun said.

Kai Xun bowed his head and walked out of the hall. The guards guided him out of the house. A sweat drop ran down the back of his head as he saw Shadow with his foot on an unconscious guard's back. The horse grunted as he turned his head away.

"I know boy, I don't like it here either," Kai Xun smiled as he took a hold of the reins.

Wang Yuanji watched the soldier leave with the same curiosity every member of the Sima clan felt. The blonde haired beauty was part of the Sima Clan by marriage. Her husband walked up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. Zhao placed a kiss on his wife's neck, resting his head against her shoulder.

"Father and brother have taken a great interest in that guy, he's a nice guy," Sima Zhao said.

"My lord, your brother is going to kill you for daring to come back here," Yuanji sighed.

"Maybe, but I at least wanted to catch a glimpse of why brother was interested. Underneath all their talk of logic and "foolishness" my father and brother are good men, better than me I'll admit. When I think about it, they're kind of foolish themselves!" Zhao grinned.

Wang Yuanji nodded her head as Sima Zhao stepped back. Suddenly, a blue and black blur flew into Zhao.

"MY LORD!" Yuanji and Huiyu yelled.

Sima Shi and Zhao crashed through one of the doors, with Shi knocking his brother to the ground. He twisted Zhao's arm back, pressing his foot into his back.

"Say it Zhao, Say it," Shi growled.

"UNCLE! UNCLE!" Sima Zhao yelled.

"Yes boys, oh I see," Sima Fu chuckled.

Their wives cringed as Shi repeatedly slapped Zhao's face.

"Aren't you going to stop them Lord Sima Fu?" Huiyu asked.

"Of course not, I haven't seen them this close to one another in a long time, it reminds me of when they were little boys, minus Shi hanging spit off his mouth…oh wait there it is!"

"NO BROTHER! NO NO NO NO NO!" Zhao yelled as Shi hung a blob of spit inches from his eye.

'Yes husband, Shi really is a nice guy underneath it all,' Wang Yuanji sighed.

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><p>Kai Xun rested his new spear on the wall when he got home. He crashed onto his bed, breathing a sigh of relief. The meeting went better than he expected, but Kai Xun hoped Sima Shi didn't invite him over again. He closed his eyes and took comfort in the birds singing outside. A sudden knock at the door broke him out of his sleep. Getting off the bed, Kai Xun swung the door open.<p>

"Kai Xun, we plea for your aid in cutting down the despicable bandits that have been…"

"Yang Hu, give the guy a little space!"

Standing at the door was Xiahou Ba and some of his men. The one that had spoken first was Yang Hu. He stood taller than Xiahou Ba by a few inches. His face was youthful, devoid of facial hair. He was dressed in blue and grey armour, which had no intricate decorations or markings. The bangs of his blonde hair hung over his eyes while the rest was tied tight into a ponytail. He held a helmet with a nose guard and a circular design on the forehead. His hands were left bare, gripping the axe of the sun; the moon axe was strapped to his back.

"So what do you say Kai Xun, mind helping us put down some bandits?" Xiahou Ba grinned, resting his sword on his shoulder.

"Bandits have been attacking the villages?" Kai Xun asked.

"Some of the villagers say that they have been moving from the harbours, that they are pirate gangs moving their thievery to lands. Whilst others say that this is the beginning of a new rebellion within Wei, we must now allow Wei to be overcome by open warfare within our own borders…"

"Yang Hu calm down, its just a bunch of thugs trying to take more than they deserve," Xiahou Ba said, patting Yang Hu's back.

Kai Xun went back into his house, putting on his gauntlets and grabbing his sword. He strapped the blade to his back and covered his mouth with his scarf.

"What are we waiting for then, lets go and protect our people," Kai Xun said.

Xiahou Ba grinned as he turned around. With Xiahou Ba leading them, the band of warriors marched to defend the villages. Unbeknownst to the group, they were watched by a figure on the hilltops overlooking Kai Xun's house. He wore fingerless gloves with steel gauntlets over his wrists. A ragged cloak hung off his shoulders, which were decorated by shoulder pads with skull faces on them. His boots and chest armour had bone like markings on them. A hood covered his face, but revealed the smirk across his mouth.

"Its begun, the fall of the Three Kingdoms has begun!" He whispered.

Next Chapter 3: Bandit attack

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><p>Hope everyone enjoyed the chapter, I was a little stuck as to which of Sima Zhao's wives I would introduce into the story, but then I figured I'd choose the one that lived the longest, it also tied into my choice to include Yang Hu as a subordinate of Xiahou Ba's.<p>

Yang Hu Background: A general in Wei who married Xiahou Ba's daughter and continued to maintain respect within Wei despite being part of a shamed family. His sister Yang Huiyu married Sima Shi. In the story they are both portrayed as warriors on the battlefield, Yang Hu as a handsome and gentle young man always quick to choose the easy way out of a conflict and Yang Huiyu as a woman dedicated to supporting her husband.

Yang Hu wields twin axes while Yang Huiyu will wield an original weapon, a short sword linked to a dagger through a chain on the handle

I also wanted to introduce another member of the Sima family, one of Sima Yi's brothers Sima Fu. I wanted to portray him as having similar traits to his brother but being more laid back without being as lazy as Sima Zhao. But I'm a little stuck with his weapon, should it be a fan like his brother, the threads attached to the gloves like Sima Yi's weapon in DW6 or an original design like a spellbook or a scroll(cleverly tying into Sima Fu's reputation as a poet) If you have ideas fell free to give them!

And lastly I naturally wanted to introduce an OC that would act as a rival to Kai Xun, using edited officer parts that I altered to make original. His weapon will probably be another complex sword like Kai Xun's.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: i dont own Dynasty Warriors, any similarity Kai Xun, Fu Chao and Kai Tong have to other history figures is purely coincidental

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><p><span>A Warrior's Choice<span>

Chapter 3: Bandit rebellion

Kai Xun recalled the words of his grandfather as he recounted the days of the Han empires fall. The Yellow Turban Rebellion was the first "arc" of the tale of the Three Kingdoms. It kick started the rise of many heroes. But unlike the Yellow turbans, these new bandits seemed to act out of simple greed. They wanted money and power and they were willing to step on the villagers in order to do it. But Cao Shuang was unwilling to dedicate resources in order to stop what he described as "simple brigands". Kai Xun rode with Xiahou Ba's men towards the latest village to be hit. He could see the smoke from the flames rising to the sky. The group of warriors rode into the centre of the village, looking in horror at the devastation these "simple" bandits had caused. Xiahou Ba grit his teeth together, his eyes ready to burst with tears under his helmet.

"Those bastards," he growled.

Yang Hu jumped off his horse, rushing to a villager lying across the floor. He supported the older man, shaking his body to wake him up. But the man's head merely flopped down.

"No, damn it, we were too late," The young man said.

Xiahou Ba hefted his sword onto his shoulder, growling as he looked to the path ahead.

"We can still catch them, if we go now we'll stop them before they hit another village," he said.

"But my lord, what about the people here?" Yang Hu asked.

"Indeed, the people cannot be abandoned!"

Xiahou Ba and his men looked to the sickly man walking through the village. He was extremely pale, his greying hair falling over his face. But the man was a lord, judging from the robes he wore. He "shuffled" across the grass, looking as if a stiff breeze would knock him over.

"Guo Huai," Xiahou Ba gasped.

The older man coughed as he waved to Ba. Kai Xun looked down at the lord from his horse. Guo Huai was a veteran of Wei since the days of Cao Cao. His military achievements were well spoken of, but apparently it wasn't actually age that dulled the man. According to older soldiers that Kai Xun had spoken to, Guo Huai was sickly in his younger days when he served with Xiahou Ba's father Xiahou Yuan. But the fact was clear, Guo Huai was a loyal officer of Wei and its people. He knelt by the side of a wounded villager, offering him sips from the bucket of water he dragged. Xiahou Ba climbed off his horse and walked to Guo Huai's side.

"This is madness, why are they doing this?" Xiahou Ba asked.

"The people have grown desperate, Cao Shuang has poured countless funds and resources into his preparation to invade Shu, while he abandons the people, radicals step up to fill the shoes of leadership. But their ideas are just that, radical, likely to endanger the people even further, and the people are so desperate that they cant even see the suffering their actions in the present cause, they only think of the future," Guo Huai explained.

Kai Xun trotted his horse past the other troops, looking at the path ahead. He then turned his head, looking at the people still in need here.

"Lord Xiahou Ba, might I offer a suggestion?" Kai Xun asked.

"Sure, what did you have in mind?"

"Half of your men stay here with Lord Guo Huai, the rest of us will follow the bandits trail and hit them before they strike the next village. The people here must be supported, the bandits while strong in numbers lack the experience and training to fight fully armoured soldiers," Kai Xun explained.

Xiahou Ba and his men nodded their heads, each offering some form of approval.

"The rumours don't do him justice," One said.

"Good advice, lets follow it," said another.

"All right guys, half of you stay here and the rest of us will stop those rebels. Yang Hu, you support Guo Huai with the wounded, anyone with experience treating wounds get to work, the faster riders come with me and Kai Xun," Xiahou Ba led his men mainly with authority, there was no inspiration in his words.

But now wasn't the time for inspiring speeches. Now was the time for haste. Kai Xun and Xiahou Ba rode at the front of their cavalry, riding across the plains. They followed the trail of footprints and food left behind by the bandits. Xiahou Ba slapped his heels against the sides of his horse, commanding it to go faster. Kai Xun tightened his grip on the reigns of his horse, as the tracks they found got fresher and fresher. They were steadily getting closer to their prey, the bandits that had dared to rebel against the Wei kingdom.

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><p>Far away from the warriors, the band of bandits had set up a small camp in preparation for their assault on another more heavily fortified village. The village was fortified because it was built inside a military fort. Defending the fort was a small contingent of the imperial army led by a single general. The bandits began chopping at nearby trees, hoping to make siege weapons for their assault on the fort. Their numbers were few, too few to make a significant difference in taking the fort. But the one their leader was overzealous.<p>

"By attacking the villages we draw support away from Cao Shuang, that will leave the kingdom divided, ripe for the right kind of man to take command," The bandit leader said.

He carried a spear and wore the kind of clothes a ruffian would wear. The man also looked as if he hadn't bathed either, his beard rugged and dirty, much like his clothes. Across from him stood a hooded man, wearing bone based armour that made him seem out of place amongst the common bandits. Yet none of the men approached him, too intimidated by his mere presence.

"Indeed, with Cao Shuang losing support, ministers within the imperial court will begin to argue over better leaders. Wei will be split between the old and the new, who knows, the kingdom itself may fall apart at the seams, calling for a new kingdom in its place," The hooded man smirked as he got off the log he sat at.

"Granting us your support has been greatly appreciated, the weaklings of this land have driven the imperial soldiers into complacent. The days of warriors such as Zhang Liao and Xiahou Dun are over, and with Sima Yi retired alls that is left for us to do is attack the imperial court," The bandit leader explained.

The hooded man shook his head as his cloak waved in the wind.

"Your men are overgrown thugs, look at them trying to build siege engines, they lack the intelligence to even count how many troops are inside that fortress. It takes more than patience and will to win a battle, I would recommend a smart path," The hooded man clicked his fingers and to soldiers in grey armour walked to the middle of the camp.

They unlocked the chest they carried, planting on the ground. When they opened it, the hopes of the greedy bandits around them were dashed. Instead of gold the chest carried a map. The hooded man took the map, unravelling it and laying it at the bandit leaders feet.

"Behold our land, not just Wei, but Wu, Shu, the Namnan and other barbarian regions. Wei may be the biggest, but Wu and Shu both carry almost iron clad defences. The advantage Wei has over Shu is that the head of the military Jiang Wei is relentless in his desire to destroy Wei and unify the land. Cao Shuang will soon launch an assault against Shu, which would be the better time to strike at the weaker areas," The hooded man explained.

"We have no need for strategy, we are stronger than the upper class masses, we have already disposed of those too weak to defend themselves, once we attack the upper class regions then we will have made our mark. The ransom gained by the prisoners we will take will garner enough gold to pay for a campaign against anyone we choose to face!"

"Very well, I wish you luck in this endeavour, I however will focus my attention on Shu and if you do survive, perhaps we will join our forces to destroy both Wei and Wu," The hooded man said, offering his hand to the bandit leader.

The barbarian grinned as he shook the man's hand.

"We launch our attack soon, first we'll take the village then we'll raze the fortress to the ground!" The bandit leader called out to his troops and they cheered.

The hooded man stepped back, smirking as he lowered his head.

'Idiot,' he thought. 'You actually think you're the one to lead the country…you don't even have the intelligence to work out that your being followed,' the hooded man's smirk faded as he turned and walked to his horse.

But before he climbed onto the massive armoured beast he threw the map onto the campfire.

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><p>"COME ON GUYS! FASTER!"<p>

Xiahou Ba had been yelling for hours, urging the men to go onwards. Some of the horses were falling behind and Kai Xun doubted that the horses would have the strength to fight. There had been no arrows or hoof marks to suggest the bandits having horses or archers. That would be the advantage Xiahou Ba's smaller force had. Though the horses would be tired, they still had arrows. Judging from the trail, the bandits were heading towards a small town as opposed to a village. The town had a greater economy than the previous village; meaning upper class families would be there. A fortress had been built near the town, meaning that the fate of both the town and the fortress depended on the decisions and strategies of the commander. If the commander was incompetent, he would lead his soldiers into a mass of undisciplined but aggressive barbarians. Likewise if he was smart or selfish he would abandon the town, meaning support for the army would lower significantly.

"XIAHOU BA! WE NEED TO DISCUSS A BATTLE PLAN!" Kai Xun yelled.

"Battle plan, what we need one of those for? We'll just charge on through!" Xiahou Ba grinned.

"Look at your horse."

Xiahou Ba looked down at his horse, a sweat drop running down his head as the horse's throat wheezed. The horse got slower and slower until it eventually started huffing and puffing. Shadow rolled his eyes as he looked back at the smaller horse. The horses stopped and the soldiers set up camp. Xiahou Ba stabbed his sword into the ground, resting his helmet beside it as he sat with Kai Xun and the majors.

"Charging on through would be a good strategy if we had the luxury of our full strength. The bandits aren't well trained but they've taken the time to make camp at several locations. However they lack the advantage we do," Kai Xun explained, picking a bow up off the floor.

"Archers, I get it, we take a high ground and pick them off," Xiahou Ba clicked his fingers.

"We draw their attention away from the town, give the people enough time to lock their doors and find places to hide. Hopefully the bandits will be so focused on us they'll abandon their idea to attack the town and try to attack us, that's where the advantage of terrain comes in, this hill makes a good sport for hitting their forces with arrows, they'll be tiring themselves out trying to get to us," Kai Xun explained further, drawing nods of agreement from the men present.

"All right then guys, get your bows and arrows ready, time for a little target practice," Xiahou Ba stood up, putting on his helmet as he took over.

The sun was already beginning to set, but there was still enough light left for both armies to see. Xiahou Ba and his men prepared their bows, while servant stabbed arrows into the ground, just far enough for the soldiers to pull them up to reload. Kai Xun took his quiver and emptied it, placing the arrows on the ground. He then laid his sword beside the arrows, while Xiahou Ba had stabbed his own weapon into the ground. Xiahou Ba had also placed an axe on his hip, ready to use it as a secondary long-range weapon. The men walked closer to the hill and looked down at the bandit forces. Whoever the bandit leader was had already begun the march towards the town. He had his men set up make shift battering rams from the nearby trees as well as shields to use against the fort archers. Whoever this man was he obviously had military experience in attacking small settlements.

"They've split their men," Xiahou Ba said.

"One group heading for the fortress, the other heading for the town, they're going to hit both locations at once," Kai Xun pointed out.

"Are these guys stupid? I thought their whole idea was to draw the army out of the fortress."

"Lord Xiahou Ba, these men clearly are ignorant to battle strategy. The leader sends one group of men to attack an obviously defended position and attacks a position that isn't defended," Kai Xun explained.

"He's a damned bully that's what he is," Ba growled.

"But the plan still applies, get ready to begin bombardment," Kai Xun said.

"Time for a warning shot!"

Ba grinned as he knocked back an arrow. He flawlessly pulled back on the string, readying a shot that would obviously hit its mark. When he released his hold on the string, the arrow flew true and struck the back of a bandit. The bandit went down and though the shot wasn't as magnificent as the kind Ba's father could make, it still did its job. The force approaching the town gradually began to focus its attention on the small group on the hill. Kai Xun whispered to himself, hoping that the men would take the bait. The warriors turned and Kai Xun resisted the urge to cheer.

"They're coming, everybody fire," Xiahou Ba commanded.

The line knocked back the arrows in perfect synch with one another. As soon as Xiahou Ba released his arrow, the others followed. The arrows flew across the sky and hailed down on the bandits like drops of rain. Xiahou Ba didn't even need to give the order for another volley. The bandits had forgone marching and began sprinting to reach the hill. Xiahou Ba's men timed their shots perfectly, firing arrows into the path in front of the bandits. The bandits practically ran into the arrows. Kai Xun picked an arrow up off the floor, knocked it back and fired it into the first unfortunate soul to make it to the hill. Xiahou Ba seemed to be doing better with the bow than he did with his sword, hitting one target after another.

"Hey Kai Xun, I'm on 13 already," Xiahou Ba said.

"19, how's about the winner buys the first round," Kai Xun smiled.

"Then get ready to empty your money bags, cause we're getting our drinks from the capital."

Xiahou Ba fired another arrow, hitting a bandit right in the head. The bandit leader watched his forces attacking the fort. Though they were protected by the make shift shields they had designed, there was no way their battering rams would breach the gate. The intelligence of the fortress's commander hadn't even been tested, because his opponent didn't even compare to him. Even the ladder they designed were ineffective, either falling apart as they touched the castle wall or being pushed down by the man on the ramparts. The hail of arrows pelting the bandits stopped and the bandit leader looked up at the ramparts. A well-dressed man walked past his men, looking at the bandits with contempt.

"Your men are falling one by one, a contingent of Wei soldiers now strikes your raiders from that hilltop there," The man pointed to the hill with his fan, then looked back down at the bandits. "I am willing to accept your surrender and I will even call off the troops attacking your raiders," The commander explained.

"Who are you to think that this battle is already over?" The leader asked.

"You do not get to ask those kinds of questions, or make demands, its is ignorant filth like you that must be purged from this land. But I am willing to offer mercy if you surrender!"

"I am not the one in charge here, he is back with the Raiders preparing to decimate your troops, I am Sai Long, the true leader of the coming rebellion is Fu Chao," The bearded man smirked. "His response to your generous offer is NO SURRENDER! NO MERCY!" The man yelled.

The Wei commander raised his fan and much to the shock of the bandits, a sparking orb seeped out of the red fathers. The electricity intensified and the ball grew larger. With a wave of his hand, the commander commanded the ball to land on the bandits. A magnificent explosion illuminated the battlefield, distracting both the remaining rebels and Xiahou Ba's group.

'Lightning…that's impossible, lord Zhuge Liang is…' Kai Xun stopped his trail of thought and instead focused on the forces in front of him.

The bandits separated, revealing their leader. He had adopted plates of dull grey armour, along with a horned helmet. His weapon was an impossibly big spear, that actually matched the man's gigantic frame. The spear's handle was thick and the blade was more like a sword than a spear tip.

"I am Fu Chao and this is the battlefield in which I will make my name, killing the dog of Wei and kidnapping Xiahou Yuan's runt will gain me enough fame and gold to begin a real campaign against Wei," The man explained.

"Fu Chao? You served with my father under Zhang Liao, why have you turned on Wei?" Kai Xun asked.

"Because they turned on me, I had served since the time of Cao Cao, I had faced Lu Bu, Guan Yu and countless other warriors, yet I was never rewarded…wait, you are Kai Xun are you not, the son of Kai Tong. Your father was never given the recognition he deserved, why do you fight for Wei when they refuse to acknowledge his achievements?" Fu Chao asked, pointing his spear at the group.

"My father never achieved anything beyond simply killing, our achievements on the battlefield must be more than that, and if you were truly my father's friend you would know that. He was content with his life and rewards, unlike you, how do you justify killing innocents?"

"Rebirth through destruction, I will cleanse this country of its weakness and bring about a new age where the strong dominate the weak. Then it will be killing that makes an officer," Fu Chao explained.

The Wei soldiers dropped their bows as the bandits began surrounding them. Their numbers were nothing to be concerned about now, but both Xiahou Ba and Kai Xun focused on Fu Chao. Xiahou Ba raised his axe while Kai Xun picked up his sword.

"Lose yourself in battle! LET THE KILL COUNT DEFINE YOU!" Fu Chao yelled.

He made the first move, swinging his spear into Xiahou Ba's axe. The strike was so powerful that it knocked Ba back, sending him sliding across the floor. Kai Xun raised his sword, blocking Fu Chao's second strike. He grit his teeth together, trying to keep his balance. The bigger man grabbed Kai Xun's scarf and threw him across the grass. He tapped his spear against the ground as he approached Kai Xun. His sadistic grin never faded as he watched Kai Xun get up.

'This guy, he's like an animal,' Kai Xun thought.

Going back on the defensive, Kai Xun blocked two more strikes from Fu Chao's spear. He stepped back, avoiding the spear blades and ducking underneath a swing. Swinging his sword round, Kai Xun slammed it into the shaft of Fu Chao's spear. But Fu Chao pushed Kai Xun back, knocking him to the floor. Kai Xun rolled backwards, narrowly dodging the swing of Fu Chao's spear. He jumped to his feeth, blocking another strike. Kai Xun stumbled backwards, regaining his footing as he pointed his sword at Fu Chao.

'Damn, my hands are actually shaking,' Kai Xun tried to calm his breathing, but the sheer might of his opponent was overwhelming.

"Ha, just like your father, he ran away from Lu Bu, hell he even surrendered when he duelled Xu Zhu of all people. A coward, like father like son!" Fu Chao laughed.

Kai Xun's hand shook, but not with fear this time. He tightened his grip on his sword and grabbed the handle of the second blade. Holding the blade forward, Kai Xun let out a silent snarl as his blade glowed.

"Never…INSULT MY FATHER!" Kai Xun roared.

"AND DON'T CALL ME A RUNT!"

The glow in Kai Xun's sword faded as Xiahou Ba jumped towards Fu Chao. He slammed his sword into Fu Chao's spear, sending a crack across the shaft. Fu Chao widened his eyes slightly as his feet sunk into the ground.

"Nobody calls me a runt," Xiahou Ba said.

Fu Chao yelled as he grabbed Xiahou Ba's neck. He slammed the smaller man into the ground, causing Ba to yell in pain.

"Like I said, runt and coward and like fathers like sons!" Fu Chao cackled.

"Your absolutely right, like father like son!"

Fu Chao blinked in confusion and turned his head. Sima Shi stood in front of Fu Chao, tapping his sword against his hand. Shi then pointed his sword at Fu Chao, a fierce glare crossing his face.

"I would never give him the satisfaction of knowing, but my father and I have much in common. Neither of us can stomach the continued existence of imbeciles. You were not rewarded because your actions were never spectacular, you had strength yet you could never match officers like Guan Yu and Lu Bu, you lacked the refined intelligence necessary to win war, not insignificant skirmishes," Sima Shi explained.

"HOW DARE…"

"Furthermore," Shi interrupted Chao. "Xiahou Yuan was a founding father of Wei, and he backed up his blood with accomplishments. Kai Tong, the father of the man you've insulted did accomplish something, though you were too ignorant to see it!"

Fu Chao growled as Sima Shi gripped the handle of his sword with both hands. Sima Shi narrowed his eyes at Fu Chao, practically glaring at the man. Suddenly, Sima Shi appeared in front of Fu Chao, his blade thrust into the man's gut. Fu Chao widened his eyes in horror before he was thrown into the air. Xiahou Ba and Kai Xun could barely keep up with the next few seconds as hundreds of blades cut Fu Chao again and again. Fu Chao's body slammed into the ground, hundreds of cuts had reduced it to a bloody mass. Sima Shi sheathed his sword, turning to Kai Xun with the mere hint of a smile.

"Do not let an idiots words sway you Kai Xun, loyalty, courage and intellect will be rewarded equally. You reduced the bandits numbers and bought us plenty of time to arrive, if not for us meeting Guo Huai at that last village we never would have known where to search," Sima Shi explained.

"I pointed (cough) Lord Sima Shi in the right direction," Guo Huai said, walking over the group.

"Thank you my lord, I will not forget this," Kai Xun said, bowing his head.

"It may have been my hand that slew the leader, but you were the one who drew the bandits away from the town, for that you should be commended, come, the lord of that fortress will want to meet you," Sima Shi slapped Kai Xun's back, pushing him to the front of a crowd that marched to the fortress.

Upon reaching the fortress, Kai Xun was shocked to see the soldiers and people cheering for him. When Sima Shi entered, they quickly bowed in respect. The commander of the fortress walked past his men. He wore a finely crafted white and blue uniform, his hair was well cut and his face was devoid of stubble.

"Lord Sima Shi, welcome and thank you for sending aid," The man said.

"The thanks should go to Xiahou Ba and his men, in particular this man, he provided plans than thinned the bandits numbers and saved the nearby town," Sima Shi explained.

The man turned to Kai Xun and smiled as he bowed his head.

"Thank you for aiding us, I fear what would have happened to the people. We will prepare a feast in celebration as a final moment before Cao Shuang summons us for battle," The man explained.

"Thank you lord uh…" Kai Xun nervously rubbed the back of his head.

"Ah, how stupid of me, my name is Zhuge Dan, it is an honour to meet you!"

* * *

><p>He walked over Fu Chao's body, looking at the lights on the ramparts. Night had passed and already the people of Wei were celebrating the victory today. This was but a simple set back for him, though the objective of lowering support for Cao Shuang was a success.<p>

"Fu Chao you fool, if only you had a little more patience, your military career would be more successful and your life would perhaps have more meaning. But you have achieved your purpose, the people now see the Sima clan as a greater authority than Cao Shuang, all that is left is for Cao Shuang to launch his doomed campaign, that will be the end of the old Wei, leaving the other two kingdoms ripe for my picking. Soon the three kingdoms will fall and a new order will take its place!" he pulled his head back, laughing as everything he planned for Wei fell into place.

Alls that was left to do was deal with the other kingdoms.

Next Chapter 4: Legacy

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><p>Hope everyone enjoyed the chapter, it may seem like filler but its actually central to the plot. Next chapter's also a plot central chapter as Kai Xun meets Zhuge Dan and recounts his father's experiences in the military and the hooded man begins his takeover of Shu in an unexpected way.<p> 


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